Accommodating Pets Into
Radiological Emergency Reception
Center Operations
for Nuclear Power Plant
Emergencies
One Florida County’s Approach
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Palm Beach County – Host
County
•St Lucie Nuclear Power Plant on Hutchinson Island
•Approximately 35 miles north of Palm Beach County
•EPZ population estimate – 268,000
•Estimated HPSAs in EPZ – 120,000+
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Regulations
• Federal
• PETS Act 2006
• State
• Statute 252.3568
• County
• Animal Care & Control Ordinance of 1998
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Implementation ‘Strategy’
• Accept the change
• Plan for the inevitable
• Utilize the benefit of time
• Plan proactively using the “All Hazards” approach
• Use CPG 101 guidance
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
FEMA CPG 101 Guidance
1. Fully understand the situation
2. Form the appropriate team
3. Determine the goals & objectives
4. Develop the draft plan
5. Training-exercise-improvement cycle
6. Review the plan with stakeholders
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
1. Fully Understand the Situation
• Comprehend the gravity of the situation
• Interpret the implications and consequences
• Compare similar situations
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
2. Form the Appropriate Team
• Palm Beach County REP Working Group
• Emergency Management
• Fire Rescue
• Sheriff’s Office
• Health Department
• Public Affairs
• American Red Cross
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
3. Determine Goals & Objectives
• Apply situational knowledge to formulate SMART
goals & objectives
• Specific
• Measureable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Timely
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
4. Develop the Draft Plan
• Hazard Coordinating Procedures (annexes to CEMP)
• Agency Standardized Operating Guidelines
• Incident Action Plan
• Pre-completed
• Distributed
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
5. Stakeholder Review of Plan
• Continuously review/update draft with stakeholders
• Professional relationships
• Involvement – engagement - ownership
• Regular meetings
• Phone calls
• “Hall shots” and “hit & runs”
• E-mails
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
6. Training-Exercise-Improvement
Cycle
• Training
• Existing in-service training on agency SOGs
• Exercise
• Table top exercises for leaders
• Off year functional exercises for all
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Obstacles to Implementation
1.Common understanding of HPSAs vs. other
animals
2.Lack of NGO field response
training/integration
3.Equipment and supplies necessary to conduct
operations
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
1. Common Understanding of HPSA
• Locally adopted definition of HPSA:
• Dog
• Cat
• Bird (not chickens, peacocks, etc)
• Pocket pet, i.e. hamster, gerbil, guinea pig, rodent
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
All Other Animals
• Non-HPSAs will be directed to service centers
operated by Florida’s State Agriculture Response
Team. Such animals include:
• Exotic pets
• Livestock
• Captive wildlife
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
2. Lack of NGO Response Training
• Various stages of organizational development
• Unproven/inexperienced in this mission
• Minimal NIMS & position specific training
• Need for more integration with first
responders
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
3. Lack of Dedicated Equipment
• Fully deployable/mobile, self-contained, field ready
trailers containing:
• Full complement of signs
• Barriers
• Pop-up tents
• Tables
• Cages
• Handling equipment
• Supplemental gear/supplies
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Areas of Concern
• Unknown impact of new FEMA guidance
• Functional Needs Support System
• Local NGO leadership, training & integration
• Inter-county applicability/transferability
• Contaminated waste disposal
• Internally contaminated pets & sheltering
• Lack of Dedicated Equipment
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Areas of Confidence
• Systematic approach to problem solving
• Project management & perseverance
• Highly accessible & responsive state level expertise
• Florida Bureau of Radiation Control
• NIMS
• Benefit of time
• Cooperation of stakeholders
• Eagerness to succeed among stakeholders
• Supplemental FEMA guidance for HPSAs
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Questions
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Thank you for your attention
Please consider South Florida
the Treasure Coast & the Palm Beaches
in your travel plans
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY - DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT